Mr Shane Tiernan, Director of Services updated the members on the Roads Capital Schemes as follows:

All projects subject to compliance with Covid-19 Health and Safety regulations and restrictions. This has implications for contractors and it is intended to carry out as much work as possible on all projects subject to restrictions.

N5 Scramoge to Ballaghaderreen: 33.4km in length and extends from the east tie-in point of the N5 Ballaghaderreen By-pass to Scramoge and bypasses Frenchpark, Bellanagare, Tulsk and Strokestown.  Archaeological testing and resolution is ongoing.  Fencing, topographical proof survey and geotechnical investigations are ongoing.  Advance diversion of Authority & Utility apparatus is ongoing. The main construction contract tender documents were issued to the pre-qualified candidates on 22 July 2020.  The tender process in respect of the main construction contract is ongoing.

N60 Oran Road Realignment Project involves the realignment of approximately 3.4 km of the N60 National Secondary route including 1.7 km of offline construction and 1.7 km of online widening to Type 1 single carriageway standard.  The land acquisition process is currently ongoing, to date approximately 90% of the land cases have been settled.  To date approx. 98% of the works have been completed.  The Certificate of Substantial Completion was issued to Wills Bros Ltd. on the 18^th September 2020.  There are some minor works ongoing comprising accommodation works, signing & lining and snagging. The completion of the works also includes the implementation of necessary alterations to the local road network including the Donamon Junction. 

N61 Ballymurray to Knockcroghery Upgrade: This project comprises the improvement of the N61 Road between Ballymurray and Knockcroghery which will incorporate a bypass of Knockcroghery village.  Work continued throughout 2020 on the assessment of the route corridor options.  It is anticipated the emerging preferred route corridor will be identified in Q4 2020.

N61 Coolteige Phase 1 Road Project involves the realignment and improvement of approximately 2.9km of a section of National Secondary Road on the northern outskirts of Roscommon Town predominately to Type 1 single carriageway standard and is now substantially complete.

N61 Tulsk to Clashaganny Road Realignment Project involves the realignment of approximately 4km of the N61 National Secondary route from a location immediately north of Tulsk village to Clashaganny.  The identified emerging preferred route corridor has been identified and is currently available to view on Roscommon County website.  The Design Team is currently undertaking technical and environmental surveys within the Preferred Route Corridor and is developing the road design to a level of detail sufficient to identify the land take requirements.

N4 Carrick on Shannon to Dromod Project involves the provision of a transport solution, which may include a new bridge crossing of the River Shannon, to relieve the significant traffic congestion on the N4 through Carrick on Shannon.  The extents of the project include a 21 km section of the N4 national primary route extending from Drumharlow townland in County Roscommon to Faulties townland in County Leitrim.  Under the Section 85 Agreement in place Leitrim County Council is the Lead Authority. Ove Arup & Partners Ireland Ltd. (Arup) completed Phase 1 (Concept and Feasibility) in July 2020 and are currently undertaking a Constraints Public Consultation (running from 5 October 2020 to 23 October 2020) to inform the public of the project.  Due to Covid-19 restrictions, a virtual public consultation which can be accessed through the project website.

CFRAM Carrick on Shannon (and Cortober) Flood Relief Scheme

A Section 85 agreement is in place with Leitrim Co Co the lead authority on the project.  Ryan Hanley have been appointed as Design Consultants. The opening public consultation process took place in July 2020  - August 2020. The hydrology workshop has been completed and the Constraints report ongoing and the habitat and screening reports ongoing and the project can be viewed online.  Roscommon County Council attend the Steering Group Committee meetings.

Galway to Athlone Cycleway

RPS have been appointed by Westmeath County Council as Design Consultants. They have been working on the Project Brief and Project Appraisal Plan. Roscommon, Galway and Westmeath each have a Project Engineer assigned to the Project. A Project Office has been set up in Ballinasloe and will open to the public in late August, subject to Covid-19 guidelines. A total of 5 Public consultations events took place from 10^th – 14^th August presenting the study area and requesting input from the public with 524 participants.  This is the first for four public consultation events before planning permission is sought. Over 800 submissions received and are being reviewed. A Code of Best Practice is currently being developed.

Broadband: A recent update was given to members on the progress of the rollout of broadband. The BCP’s have been rolled out in rural areas and are now going live which will be a big help to those who are located most distant from high speed broadband fibre network. We expect to be tendering National Broadband Ireland have carried out surveys in towns and villages across the county in what is known as the intervention area to allow them to roll out high speed fibre broadband in those areas.

Other Projects – Active Travel Measures:

We received over €1m in funding under this new initiative this year and we are actively progressing these projects across the county which include footpaths, widening of footpaths for cycleways. We also have received an additional €500k for climate adaptation works on roads across the county.

The members welcomed the report and discussed as follows:

·         Need an outcome for the preferred route for the Knockcroghery By-Pass before the end of the year as planning permissions are restricted until this is confirmed and TII have been consulted on this matter.

·         The TII have agreed that the realignment of the Donamon Junction will be changed to meet the concerns regarding the junction.

·         Whatever can be done to promote the towns such as Strokestown, Tulsk, Frenchpark and Ballinagare and that will be bypassed as a result of the N5 project must be a priority for the Council. The process to install proper advance signage must be commenced to facilitate and promote the historical and tourist attractions in the area.

·         The work carried out on the N61 from Roscommon town is a great success.

·         Welcome the upgrade works on the Tulsk to Clashaganny section of the N61 as this section of road is quite dangerous

·         Disappointed that the N61 north of Tulsk is not included in proposed upgrade works.

·         A proposal has been submitted to the TII that the N61 be upgraded to a National Primary route as over 13k cars per day travel on the Athlone to Roscommon section. A complete new road is required due to the road safety concerns on such a busy road. An upgrade of the turning lanes need to be done immediately and there is adequate road space to do this.

·         When will the appropriate assessment be completed on the R362 as this is a vital piece of infrastructure of the Old Tuam Road and must also include the immediate installation of a roundabout at Cloonakilla NS to allow for turning vehicles.

·         A cycle route from the Greenway to Roscommon town would be desirable

·         Welcome the progress of the N5 project and cooperation of the landowners to date, however the surface of the road from Rathcroghan to Ballinagare need to be upgraded immediately.

·         Compliment the work done on the Tulsk Village project but there are still some issued to be completed.

·         Will the upgrade at Scramogue Cross be included in the N5 project and will lighting upgrade be included?

·         Welcome the N60 upgrade works completed at Oran and the ongoing works from Ballymoe to Castlerea.

·         The Arm Cashel and Meelickaduff section of the N60 has been constantly neglected and has there been correspondence from TII on why no funding has been forthcoming.

·         Is it the Council or TII who makes the decision on the preferred route for Knockcroghery Bypass (N61)?

·         Over €200M will be spent on the N5 Project over the next 5 years and where possible, it is critical that local employment be utilised.

·         Welcome the reopening if the LIS Scheme to upgrade small roads.

·         R446 from Athlone to Ballinasloe  - a new roundabout and pedestrian crossing at that location is required because of the impact of the new Cholaiste Chiaran secondary School.

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Byrne

             SECONDED by Cllr. Murphy

It was AGREED to write to the TII for confirmation as to when funding for the realignment of the N61 road, north of Tulsk will be approved.

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Kilduff

SECONDED by Cllr. Ward

It was AGREED to call on the TII to immediately install turning lanes at major junctions on the N61 from Ganleys roundabout to St Brigids GAA junction. 

Mr. Tiernan addressed questions raised:

·         The NRDO in Roscommon will decide on the preferred route for the N61, expected in November/December 2020. This will have to be then agreed with TII. It is a priority of RCC to have this route upgraded to National Primary route and has been included in Draft Development Plan and it is pivotal issue for the development of Roscommon town. Representations will be made at highest level on this project to TII as linkage to Athlone.

·         Contractors have been appointed to carry out a traffic study as part of the Athlone Strategic Transport Assessment in conjunction with Westmeath Co Co including the turn off junctions. Before we receive any indication of funding such a project, this assessment should be completed and the TII have contributed €60k to the study.

·         A dedicated team is looking at all signage requirements and how it will impact on smaller towns on the N5 upgrade including ‘brown signage’ -these signs typically highlight local amenities etc.

·         The Department allocated €200k in 2020 for R362 and it is expected to progress this project next year with an Appropriate Assessment. There will be a challenge in relation to the land at Clonakilla school and a decision will have to be made to get the best value from the €200k allocated.

·         The sum of €220k was allocated from TII to widen footpaths, construct new footpaths and install toucan crossing on R446 and L2027 at Crannagh Summerhill/Drum Community Centre

·         The LIS scheme will be advertised in November. Substantial progress has been achieved in recent years with small number of schemes on hand to complete. 

It was PROPOSED by Cllr. Naughten

SECONDED by Cllr. Ward

To write to the Minister for Transport and The Taoiseach regarding the strategic importance of the N61 and that it be designated a national primary route

The Chief Executive stated his commitment to seek to have the N61 upgraded to National Primary status due to the repositioning of Athlone. He asked that the Council complete its work on the survey to ensure that the best possible proposal is made to the Department for this to happen. Cllr. Naughten agreed to withdraw his letter to the Department until this work is complete.

The Cathaoirleach complimented the staff on the amount of work done on progressing schemes in 2020 to date.

The Chief Executive also paid tribute to the work of the NRRO in progressing the N5 to its current stage at an unprecedented rate for such a scheme.